N.V.M Gonzales - fictionist, essayist, poet and teacher.

- "First Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940", "Republic Cultural Heritage Award in 1960" and the
Gawad CCP Para sa Sining in 1990.

Nick Joaquin - most distinguished Filipino writer in English writing.

- short stories to poems to essays which includes journalism and reportage.

- Guerre Quijano de Manila as journalist.

F. Sionil Jose - most widely read Filipino writers founded the Philippine chapter of the international
organization PEN.

Alejandro Roces - known for his comic short stories which includes "My Brother's Peculiar Chicken."

- led the campaign to change the country's Independence Day from July 4 to June 12.

Edith L. Tiempo - a poet, fictionist, teacher and literary critic

- founded the Siliman National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City with her late husband

Virgilio S. Almario - Rio Alma

- notable modernist poets

- reinvented the traditional Filipino poetry forms.

Amado V. Hernandez - contribution in the development of the Tagalog prose through the use of
colloquial style.

Carlos P. Romulo - diplomat and an awarded journalist.

- first Asian President of the United Nations General Assembly

- only Asian to win the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for his articles on the World War II.
Bienvenido Lumbera - multi-awarded poet, critic and librettist

- Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa (poems in Filipino and English), 1993; Balaybay, Mga Tulang Lunot at
Manibalang, 2002; Sa Sariling Bayan, Apat na Dulang May Musila, 2004; Tales of the Manuvu and Rama
Hari.

Cirilo F. Bautista - a poet, fictionist and essayist.

- founded Philippine Literary Arts Council in 1981

- Iligan National Writers Workshop in 1993, and the Baguio Writers Group.

Lazaro Francisco - prominent writers in the Tagalog language.

- established the Kapatiran Ng Mga Alagad Ng Wikang Pilipino (KAWIKA) in 1958 to support Tagalog as
national language.

Jose Garcia Villa - one of the best contemporary poets

- known for introducing the reversed consonance rhyme scheme and his use of punctuation, especially
commas.

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR DANCE, MUSIC, FILM, AND THEATER:

Cinema/Film

Lamberto V. Avellana - "The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies" as early as 1939

- Kalderong Pilak was the first film by a Filipino filmmaker shown in Cannes International Film Festival.

Manuel Conde - known for producing and directing films based on old Filipino tales

- Siete Infantes de Lara (1950), Si Juan Tamad (1974), Ang Ibong Adarna (1941).

- brought to the silver screen stories from the other parts of the worlds like Genghis Khan (1950).
Eddie S. Romero - a screenwriter, film director and producer who is behind the Filipino classics such as
"Ganito Kami Noon...Paano Kayo Ngayon?", "Banta ng Kahapon" and "Aguila" as well as the 13-part
series "Noli Me Tangere".

Catalino "Lino" Ortiz Brocka- is recognized for his films which explores the lives of people in the
marginalized sectors. Brocka also directed for theater organizations such as the Philippine Educational
Theater Association (PETA) and the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP).

Gerardo de Leon - a prominent film maker in the 50's and 60's producing classics such as "Daigdig ng
Mga Api," "Noli Me Tangere," "El Filibusterismo," "dyesebel" and "Sisa."

Ishmael Bernal - hailed by the critics as "The Genius of the Philippine Cinema,"

- known for directing films that projects the realities of the Filipinos.

Ronald Alan K. Poe - More known as Fernando Poe, Jr.

- He is an icon in film industry as an actor, director, writer and producer.

- He starred in films like "Mga Alabok sa Lupa" (1967), "Partida" (1985). "Ang Probinsyano" (1996), and
among others.

Dance

Francisca Reyes Aquino - known for her research on Philippine folk dances, which later resulted to a
thesis entitled "Philippine Folk Dances and Games."

Leonor Orosa Goquingco - known as the "Mother of Philippine Theater Dance,"

- blended folkloric and Asian styles in ballet choreography.

- founding member of the Philippine Ballet Theater and the Honorary Chair of the Association of Ballet
Academies of the Philippines.

Ramon Obusan - A dancer, choreographer, artistic director, researcher, and documentary filmmaker.
- able to promote Filipino culture in other countries using the art of dance through the Ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group.

Lucrecia Reyes - Urtula - dance director of the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company

- she choreographed different Philippine folk, ethnic dances, pageants and festivals.

Alice Reyes - known in blending styles and movements from Philippine indigenous dance, classical ballet,
and modern dance in expressing Filipino subject matters.

- "contemporary dance language that is uniquely Filipino."

Levi Celerio - most known for his recognition as the only man who could play music with a leaf in the
Guinness Book of World Records.

- earned Lifetime Achievement Award of the Film Academy of the Philippines for writing songs for local
movies.

- known as the dean of Filipino lyricists.

Felipe Padilla de Leon - known for Filipinizing western music forms

- "Mariang Maikling Overture," "Maynila Overture," "Payapang Daigdig," and "Ako'y Pilipino,"

- expressed sentiments and aspirations of the Filipino in times of strife and peace.

Lucrecia R. Kasilag - known for fusing Filipino ethnic music with Western musical influences.

- known for incorporating Filipino indigenous musical instruments in orchestral works.

Antonio J. Molina - known for introducing the pentatonic scale, whole tone scale, linear counterpoints
and the use of dominant ninths and eleventh chords in Philippine music.

Ramon P. Santos (February 25, 1941)

Santos is a Filipino composer, musicologist and ethnomusicologist who was made a Chevalier de l'Orde
des Arts et Lettres in 1987. He helped in advocating modern Philippine music that is still based on early
Asian practices and way of life.

Andrea Veneracion (July 11, 1928 - July 9, 2013)

She was the founder of the world renowned university of the Philippines Madrigal Singers, or simply the
Philippine Madrigal Singers, which is the first choir in the world

Music

Antonino Buenaventura (May 4, 1904 January 25, 1996)

He was known for his marches including the "Triumphal March," "History Fantasy," "Echoes from the
Philippines," and "Ode to Freedom." He was a conductor of the Philippine Army Band. He wrote
compositions for solo instruments, symphonic and orchestral works, which are based on Philippine
folksongs.

Ernani Cuenco (May 10, 1936-June 11, 1988)

He was known for the following songs: "Bato sa Buhangin," "Gaano Kita Kamahal," "Inang Bayan," "Isang
Dalangin," "Kalesa," and "Pilipinas." These works brought contemporary Filipino music to a higher level.
The song, "Gaano Kita Kamahal, he added elements of Kundiman. He played with the Filipino Youth
Symphony Orchestra and the Manila Symphony Orchestra from 1960 to 1968.

Francisco Feliciano (February 19, 1941-September 19, 2014)

His major works include "Ashen Wings," "Sikhay sa Kabila ng Paalam," and "Pamugun." He was known
for the use of modal scales in his operas and orchestral works. He used indigenous music in his
compositions.

Jovita Fuentes (February 15, 1895-August 7, 1978)

She was best known for her portrayal of Cio-cio San in Giacamo Puccini's Madame Butterfly in Italy in
April 1925. When she returned to the Philippines, she established the Artists' Guild of the Philippines in
an effort to instill love for opera in her countrymen.

Jose Maceda (January 31, 1917-May 5, 2004)

He conducted researches and fieldwork to explore Filipino traditional music further and to understand
the nature of Philippine ethnic and traditional music. His efforts gave birth to a huge number of
recorded Philippine ethnic and traditional music

Lucio San Pedro (February 11, 1913-March 31, 2002)

Best known for his compositions "Sa Ugoy ng Duyan," "Sa Mahal Kong Bayan," "Dance of the Fairies,"
"Triumphal March," and "Lahing Kayumanggi," Lucio San Pedro was the conductor of the Peng Kong
Grand Mason Concert Band, the San

Theater

Daisy Avellana (January 26, 1917-May 12, 2013)

She co-founded the Barangay Theatre Guild, together with her husband, National Artist Lamberto
Avellana, in 1939. This move made theatre and dramatic arts popular in the country. She was known as
director of films "Diego Silang" (1968) and "Walang Sugat" (1971).

Honorata "Atang" dela Rama (January 11, 1902-July 11, 1991)

She was named National Artist for Theater and Music in 1987. She was known as the Queen of
Kundiman, and the first actress to portray a 15-year-old in the very first Tagalog film, which was the film
version of the Sarsuela "Dalagang Bukid."

Salvador F. Bernal (January 7, 1945-October 26, 2011)

Honored as National Artist for Theater Design in 2003, Bernal used local materials including bamboo,
abaca, hemp twine, and rattan in theater design for local productions.
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (January 22, 1910-May 1, 1995)

He served as the director of UP Dramatic Club for 16 years since 1947. He founded the UP Mobile
Theater, which started the concept of theater campus tour.

Severino Montano (January 3, 1915-December 12, 1980)

He organized the Arena Theater Playwriting Contest which became the initial ground for playwrights to
showcase their talents in writing while serving as Dean of Instruction of the Philippine Normal College.

GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN (GAMABA):

Eduardo Mutuc (2005 awardee)

He dedicated his life in creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze and wood. According to him,
craftsmanship begins with respect for one's tools and the medium, and the only way to improve one's
skills is to immerse oneself, learn the technique, and to practice.

Darhata Sawabi (2005 awardee)

She is a Tausug weaver of pis syabit - the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a head cover. Women in Sulu
province have grown up learning in weaving the pis syabit and she is one of those who took the art of pis
syabit making to heart.

Haja Amina Appi (2005 awardee)

She is recognized as a master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community for her unique
designs, straightness of her edging (tabig), and fineness of her sasa and kima-kima.

Lang Dulay (1998 awardee)

She is a T'boli traditional weaver of "tinalak" or T'boli cloth made of colorful abaca fabrics. She used
abaca fibers as fine as hair which speaks more eloquently than words can.

Salinta Monon (1998 awardee)

She is a Tagabanwa-Bagobo traditional weaver of distinct abaca fabrics called inabal. She developed a
keen eye for the traditional designs and can identify the designs as well as the author of a woven piece
just by a glance.

Alonzo Saclag (2000 awardee)

He is a Kalinga master of dance and the performing arts who mastered not only the Kalinga musical
instruments but also the dance patterns and movements associated with his people's ritual.

Federico Caballero

He is a Sulod-Bukidnon epic chanter who works for the documentation of the oral literature. He is
considered as bantugan which means a person who has attained distinction. He strikes to dispense
justice in the community through his work as a manughusay which is an arbiter of conflicts.

Masino Intaray (1993 awardee)

He is a prolific and pre-eminent epic canter and story teller recognized for his outstanding mastery of
various traditional musical instruments of the Palaw'an people, such as basal, kulilal and bagit. He is an
outstanding master of the basal, kulilal (musical ensemble) and bagit; a gifted pot, bard artist, and
musician.

Samon Sulaiman (1993 awardee)

He is Magindanaon, who is highly sophisticated in weaving, okir designs, jewelry, metalwork and
brassware which art is Southeast Asian yet distinct in character.

Uwang Ahadas (2000 awardee)

His near-blindness eyesight made music his constant companion. He is a Yakan, a people to whom
instrumental music is of much significance, connected as it is with both the agricultural cycle and the
social realm.

Ginaw Bilog (1993 awardee)

He is a Hanunoo Mangyan who is considered as a master of the ambahan poetry. He shares old and new
ambahans with his fellow Mangyans and promotes this poetic form in every occasion. A common
cultural aspect among cultural communities nationwide is the oral tradition characterized by poetic
verses which are either sung or chanted.

Magdalena Gamayo (2012 awardee)

She is a master weaver who makes "inabel", an Ilokano handwoven cloth. She was awarded for her wide
array skills in textile weaving. Her handiworks are finer than most abel. Her blankets have a very high
thread count and her deigns are the most intricate that sometimes take up to five colors.